We too, will be stories in the end
by we.can.fly.away.to.Gallifrey
Summary: 'No' Madara roared, his powerful cry knocking those around unconscious. Because he knew there was no cure for a mermaid's blood. But it was too late. And come whatever may, Madara had experienced the same fate long ago: he would show Natsume that this was as much a gift as it was a curse. Because in the end, the world has an infinity to offer, if you are willing to accept it.
1. The Mermaid's Curse

A/N: I present to you my Natsume Yuujinchou project. I hope you will enjoy my take on this wonderful world with its inspiring characters.

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

'No!' Madara roared, his cry infused with his spiritual powers so that every yokai and human around was blown away and knocked unconscious, and the wind ruffled the grass of the field and the trees for miles.

Natsume was the only one who was unaffected. He lay on the ground, face up, frozen still and wide-eyed as he was a moment ago.

The wildness and terrifying anger of the great white beast didn't give way as he instantly transformed into a human form - one which Natsume had never seen before - and kneeling, straddled the said boy and placed his hands on the ground on each side of his face.

Without a moment's hesitation, he pressed his mouth to Natsume's, drew from the boy's unmoving lips and spat the blood to the side, repeating the action again and again until there was nothing left to draw out anymore. By the time he sat up, his breathing was heavily rugged, and his lips tainted red, matching those of Natsume.

He made no effort to move from where he sat on Natsume's legs, only looked down at the boy with an unreadable expression on his face. The wind blew in their hair and seemed too loud.

'Sensei...?'

Natsume's voice was quite, still frightful, but with the smallest glimmer of hope.

 _Fool! Natsume no baka! Look at what happened! After every time I warned you, not to get involved with youkai, to stay away from exorcists! And what did you do? Get involved with youkai, meddle with exorcists! Aho! You brought this upon yourself! You brought this upon yourself._

That's what Madara would have liked to say. He would have liked to scold the boy all the way back home, and demanded for Manjuu as compensation. He would have liked for them to have their usual arguments.

 _Sensei! You've become too heavy to sit on my head!_

 _Aho! It my winter coat, get it?_

 _Winter is months away, Nyanko sensei. Anyway, you are supposed to be my bodyguard, but you are out drinking all the time._

 _Who just saved you then?_

 _Just about. I could have died, sensei!_

 _That's fine with me - then I can have the Yuujinchou. Don't forget why I am doing this - the Yuujinchou, Natsume. The Yuujinchou._

 _Hai, hai._

He would have liked to pretend that it was all fine, it was just one of their normal encounters. But he couldn't. He couldn't give the boy looking up at him hope where there was none. So he remained still, looking at Natsume as his face fell and his arm draped across his face to hide his eyes. He stayed silent as little, almost inaudible sobs rang in the air, his own mind too, anguished.

 _Damn it! Damn it all. I'm sorry. I failed you._

It was only when the trembles subsided that he stood, transformed back into the beast and bent to let Natsume climb onto his back.

The only worlds he offered were: 'Let's go home.'


	2. Uncertainty and sorrow

A/N: So this story is going to be quite sad at the start, of course is, this is Natsume we are talking about! But the idea is that it will become better as Natsume accepts his fate. Expect a lot of Natsume and Madara time!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

Madara and Natsume sat opposite each other on the floor of Natsume's room. They were both quietly looking at each other. Madara had not yet changed back into his Maneki-neko form: it would seem too normal. This was serious and both of them knew it. It had become somewhat of a rule, that on the occasion when something happened which made Natsume particularly vulnerable, Madara would stay in his original form. His original form had better senses, better reflexes, so naturally he was better equipped to protect Natsume.

Natsume himself never commented on Madara's change of form: he doted on both equally. He found the cat form's...well, cat-like antics amusing, and even humoured his food-related desires. And though he hid it well, he seemed as awed by Madara's original form as anyone else. He would stroke both fur coats indiscriminately, and though Madara would be loath to admit it, would punch both forms indiscriminately too. Having said that, Natsume did seem to take particular pleasure in sinking into the white beast's fur as they flew over cities and forests, a fact that Madara secretly took great pride in.

But the flight home that day provided little comfort, and though the pair sat silently, their minds were running, overwhelmed and exhausted. When the silence had stretched too long Madara finally spoke.

'Did you swallow any of it?'

There was a long pause before Natsume finally replied.

'I don't know.'

The fact was that both of them knew that it had happened - the blood had alredy been swallowed - the uncertainty was just an attempt to recover hope.

Madara sighed. This was going to go nowhere with the state the pair of them were in right now: shaken and rightfully exhausted from real terror.

'Go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.' His words were dismissive as usual, but the sentiment was anything but that.

Natsume just nodded and proceeded to lay out his futon, Madara curling around the room so that there was space for Natsume to sleep in the centre. The room was perhaps too small for a great beast such as Madara, but one always found that such things hardly mattered in this type of situation. And so, the pair drifted off to a much needed sleep, Natsume's arm extending over to rest on soft white fur, seeking the comfort which was readily given.

* * *

It was early in the morning when Madara woke up: it would be daybreak in less than an hour. But just as he decided that he would go back to sleep again for a while, Natsume spoke:

'Sensei, are you awake?'

'Aa.'

Madara looked down to see the boy still lying down, his hands by his side. He must have been awake for a long time, for his eyes didn't hold a trace of sleepiness, nor panic, Madara noted. Instead he stared contemplatively at the ceiling.

'Ne, Sensei, what is going to happen to me? What will the mermaid's blood do to me?'

Madara huffed out, stretching out his body best he could in the room. _Cutting right to the chase, huh._

'You have to tell me, Sensei. Will I really become immortal? Will I...'

Madara's eyes tightened in sympathy. The poor boy, to have just found a loving family, kind friends, people who understood him, and people who were like him. To have just found a life worth living which was so precious to him, for this to happen. Fate sometimes had the worst sense of humour. But Natsume didn't need pity right now.

'Right, look here Natsume. Before you go fantasising too much, there is no such thing as immortality. What lives dies. That's the natural order of things. You will die just like me and every other living thing. What a mermaid's blood grants is not immortality, but prolonged life. A life as long as the most powerful yokai. It means that you will become strong. Strong enough that sickness and curse will not befall you, strong enough that yokai will recognise you wherever you go. Anyone who tries to kill you, well, I'll tell you now, they will give up before they fail. The lifetime of a yokai is determined by how strong they are. The same will apply to you.'

'A prolonged life. Just how long is that, Sensei?'

'The length of a human life does not compare.'

Natsume sighed, placing an arm over his eyes. 'I though so. I thought so.'


	3. Running away

A/N: My chapters are quite short, I think. It feels fine on a phone screen, but sometimes it looks quite pathetic on a big computer screen. It's because I don't like to write for the sake of it. Even though I am an amateur, I try to take example from my favourite writers, fanfic or otherwise, and put meaning and relevance into every paragraph I write. I try and put into words the story which seems quite magnificent in my mind, but that might just be because I know what is going to happen.

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

Natsume and Madara were still in the bedroom. Madara had watched as the boy got up, folded up his futon, stored it away, and then sat down again, leaning against him, and sunk comfortably into his fur. They both revelled in the moment of quite contentedness before Natsume spoke.

'You said just now that a yokai's lifetime is determined by their power. The stronger the yokai, the longer they live.'

'That's how it is.' Madara said, noting how unusually nonchalant he was given the topic of discussion. Natsume was never one to panic needlessly. His aura was a serene and temperate one, yet Madara still expected to see some form of anxiety leak through.

'And that is what is going to become of me.'

'Yes, it is specifically that way round: the mermaids blood does not give you long life which leads to power - it give you power which leads to long life.'

'Tell me sensei, then, how does this work? The human body is not like a yokai's. It can't sustain life much longer than a century.'

'That's exactly right. A mermaid's blood is not some sort of super medicine; it's nothing short of a miracle, even amongst the yokai. It changes your body so that while you remain human, you become yokai too. You become god-like in your power.'

A long moment passed a Natsume took in the meaning of Madara's words.

'I never wanted anything. Many years ago I even stopped wanting a family, or a friend. I never wanted a bike or a cake for my birthday. I never wanted love. I never even wished for my parents to come back. This, I never wanted this either.'

His last sentence held such emotion that it would have been a sob but for Natsume's evergreen placid nature. Madara remained silent, guilt overtaking him. But he could not afford to be feeling guitly right now, not when Natsume nedded him. He'd leave guilt for later. It took several moments for the boy to collect himself. When he stood, Madara asked him: 'What are you going to do now?'

'I'll go to school for now. Please give me a few days to think, sensei.'

He paused again at the door, turning to face the beast. His face held a vulnerability completely new and unknown to Madara. His words were: 'How powerful are you, sensei?'

Madara's answer was arrogant, despite its truth, and never had his words been so selfish and selfless at the same time: 'Oh, a being like me, I am up with the gods.'

He didn't miss the relived intake of breath and ghost of a smile as Natsume slipped out the door.


	4. Disappear

A/N: Anyone else think that 'slice of life' should be a genre on this site?

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

The few days which Natsume had asked for became few weeks, and then a few months. It wasn't that Natsume ignored the topic, but more that he didn't know how to deal with it. But Madara was taking no more. This was for Natsume's sake. When Natsume walked into the room, he was already there waiting for him, sitting up and gesturing for him to sit too. Natsume lifted an eyebrow as he sat opposite, reaching out to pet the cat's fur.

'What is this about, Nyanko sensei?'

'You know very well what this is about. Now talk.' He said, a paw pushing Natsume's hand away.

Natsume frowned. 'Don't worry sensei. It's not like anything is going to happen so soon.'

'Don't be an idiot and start taking this seriously.'

'I'm not being an idiot, you are! I have a life so let me live it! What do you know about this anyway!' Natsume shouted.

Madara flared. He instantly turned into his white beast form, breathing down on Natsume's shocked face. In a moment, the mask cracked and the months of mental anguish showed on his face. _Typical self-isolating fool_ , Madara though as he turned his gaze downwards. It was terribly unlike Natsume to get seriously riled up like that.

'I do know.' Madara's voice resonated loudly, but was gentle. 'I have been alive since the early years of the human race. I have met more humans and yokai than I can remember. Once upon a time, I had a family too. I had friends as close as brothers.'

Natsume sat stunned to silence. He never really knew anything about his sensei's past. And what he had just said...

'I'm sorry.' Natsume whispered.

Madara huffed. 'You very well should be. See if I ever try and help you again.' Of course he was not angry at all and his words held no truth, and damn Natsume for being able to see that so easily.

The said boy smiled a little as he said: I truly am sorry, so don't be angry anymore, sensei.'

'You start talking. I'll decide for myself whether I'll be angry or not.'

Natsume sighed. 'I really don't know. I really meant it when I said that I could just not do anything... it isn't like anyone is going to notice, right? I could just go to school as normal, then go to university, get a job, then...'

Madara took advantage of the pause. 'Then what, Natsume? Get married? Have children? Watch them grow old? If that's what you are planning to do, go ahead: do it. Heavens help me, I'll stop you.' He knew he was being harsh as he saw the pained expression on Natsume's face, which lowered even further, but he couldn't afford not to be.

'I just can't stand the idea of leaving them all, but just the thought of them growing older in front of me...'

'Think about this Natsume: these couple of months, have you ever felt at peace around them? Has a moment passed in which you looked at their faces and not wondered how much time is left?'

Natsume's silence spoke for himself.

'Every moment you spend with them will be filled with pain and dread. Every day it will become worse, you'll be killing yourself inside.' Madara sighed tiredly at Natsume's unresponsiveness. 'Your timeline and perspective has already changed. Your friends, they probably haven't even thought about much further in the future than summer exams, but you are already thinking of what will happen half a century later. They are thinking about submitting their homework on time, and you are thinking of the type of life you will lead. Do you see? It's not the same anymore.'

'Even if that is the case, what else can I do? I can't go to Tanuma and Taki, I can't go to Natori-san, and definitely not the exorcist clans. For this, the yokai of the Eight fields can't even help me. What else can I possible do?'

Madara looked at Natsume solemnly. 'There is one thing you can do: disappear.'


	5. What tomorrow might bring

A/N: Enjoy!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

'Disappear? You mean leave them without saying anything? How can I do that? Touko-san and Shigeru-san would worry. They would call the police. Tanuma and Taki would think that something went wrong and that I would search the forest fruitlessly. Natori-san as well. Nishimura and Kitamoto... they'd be sad too. I'd cause trouble for everyone - how can I do that after everything that they have done for me?'

'Trust me Natsume, every day longer you'll spend with them, the harder it will get, the worse it will be when they are gone. And if you see them die, that is what you will remember for the rest of your life. Listen to me, and leave, as soon as you can. You will save both yourself and them a world of pain if you do so.'

'I am not as strong as you think I am, sensei, especially with goodbyes. I'm scared.'

'I know.'

'Do you really mean it sensei?' Natsume asked softly.

Madara waited for Natsume to elaborate.

'I've thought about it all this time but I don't know what path I should take. I scared, terrified. I feel lost and sad and I don't want to believe this all happened, and you are the only one that I can turn to. I'll do what ever you say. So do you really mean it? Do you really think I should leave?'

'I can offer you no other path.' Madara said sincerely.

'I trust you.'

'That's all I can ask.'

How long can I stay here?'

'That entirely depends on you, Natsume. How long do you want to stay? How long do you think you could stay after all this?

'Two months. Give me just two months.'

'Okay.' Madara agreed. 'We'll also use these two months to prepare.'

'Prepare?'

'I'll teach you some things that will be useful.'

'Like what?'

'You'll find out.'

A few moments passed in silence before Natsume spoke.

'Sensei?'

'What is it now?' Madara asked, not unkindly.

'I said that I'll leave in two months, but where will I go? What will I do? It makes no sense to leave here and go settle in a different place. I've sold my family home as well, and the only money I have is my inheritance and the money from the house.'

'Hm. Sometimes I forget how much humans have changed over the years.' Madara said, taking a moment to think.

'I propose a journey. We'll travel, both through human cities and youkai forests. You won't need to carry much: a backpack will serve you fine. We can stop in a human village from time to time for a month or two, and find some work. When we've earned enough and re-stocked on supplies we can leave again. The forests are more that sufficient in providing shelter for the night, and they are not as scarce of food as you might think. The world has a lot to offer you. There are humans and youkai to meet, places to see, things to learn... This "immortality" is not all that bad, if you allow it to be. Just look at me, I've lived for too many years to count, but I still look forward to what tomorrow might bring.'

'But for what, sensei? What purpose?'

'Purpose, huh? I guess it's early days for you.' Madara said with wryness. 'But If if it's a purpose that you're looking for, then I'd say the Yuujinchou is a pretty good start.'


	6. Apologies that don't belong

A/N: Thanks for reading!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

Two months. That was what Natsume had promised Madara, and he intended to keep his word. It all felt so unreal, like a dream. But it wasn't, because maybe it was his imagination, but he could somehow feel it in himself, that he was changing, and not only mentally. It scared him, more than any yokai had ever scared him. So his sensei was his lifeline right now, and like he had told him, he would trust him with all he had. But having said that, leaving was not going to be easy. Not after having found such kind and doting relatives like Touko-san and Shigeru-san. Not after finding people like Natori-san, like Tanuma and Taki. Not after finding precious friends like Kitamoto and Nishimura.

He thought about what to bring with him and what to leave behind. He didn't have many possessions in the first place. After moving around constantly as he was growing up, he learned to have a minimalist lifestyle. An open bag sat in the corner of his room, slowly filling with things he was sure that he couldn't leave behind. The yuujinchou was a given. The photo of his parents: the only thing that he could imagine them with. His inheritance money. One set of spare clothes and other things like that. A water bottle. Emergency rations consisting of packeted sweets that he hoped sensei wouldn't find out about until necessary. And the last thing he had made him blush with embarrassment: the Nyanko-sensei shaped rock that he had had searched for the next morning after throwing it out the window. He felt oddly attached to it and had kept it secretly safe ever since.

He had just slipped it in the zipped pocket of his bag when Madara entered through the window. He looked at the small bag and then up at Natsume.

'You're being strangely practical about this, Natsume.'

Natsume just shrugged and looked up at the wind chime ringing at the open window.

'Well, things like a wind chime are going to be no use when traveling, not matter what sentimental value they have. It would probably just get damaged on the road; a wind chime belongs in a house like his one.'

Madara hummed, sitting down next to Natsume.

'Ne, Natsume?'

'Yes, sensei?'

'I'm sorry. I failed you. After everything, when you needed me, I wasn't there.'

'Sensei...' Natsume breathed in shock. Madara's voice was so humbly sorrowful, and sincere. It was so much of a genuine apology that it hurt just to hear it. It was the first time he had heard such words fall from his sensei's mouth, but the worlds felt so wrong as they fell. The fact itself that he felt bad enough about it to actually directly apologise was enough in itself to make Natsume gasp in shock. Natsume decided then and there that apologies didn't suit Madara at all.

'I know that I don't deserve forgiveness. I had only been there quicker, if I had acted a little faster, I cou-'

'Sensei, stop.' It wasn't an order, but a request effective in silencing Madara.

Natsume took the the neko-form into his arms and onto his lap, like always. Eyes closed he stroked Nyanko sensei's fur coat, he spoke:

'Don't say such things. And never apologise to me, ever. You are my sensei, after all.'


	7. Musings

A/N: Nothing to say!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

As the days flew by at an alarming rate, the pair found themselves closer than before. Maybe it was because of all the time that they had spent together, or maybe the situation just made it happen. Either way, there was a certain tenderness between them which wasn't present before. Oh, but not much had changed: they still bickered as usual, Natsume helped yokai as usual, and Madara went out drinking as usual. The yuujinchou got thinner as Natsume's bag became fuller, and one of them was never far from the other.

Natsume was sitting at the dinner table with Nyanko-sensei on his shoulder, waiting for Tokou-san to finish cooking. The pair watched amused at the harmless little yokai who had made the set dinner table its playground. It was time now to start bringing things to a close. While Natsume wouldn't be able to say goodbye, he wanted everyone to know how grateful he was, how precious all of them were to him.

He wondered what Tokou-san and Shigeru-san's reaction would be when he wouldn't come home one night in a few week's time. Touko-san would be angry that he hadn't called to let them know he would be late. Shigeru-san would console her at first, but as the hours past, they both would worry. They would call his friends asking for his whereabouts, and when even Natori-san hadn't heard of him, all their anger would dissapate into more worry and fear.

Shigeru-san would go out looking for Natsume while Tokou-san watched the house. And when Shigeru-san returned alone, Tokou-san's face would fall. While waiting helplessly they would fall asleep at the table. At dawn, the light would wake them up and they would look at each other in horror, realising that the night had passed and he had still not returned home. Tokou-san would run upstairs to his bedroom just in case, only to find it empty, and Shigeru-san would call the police. He would take a day off work and search the entire town.

In the evening, all of his friends would turn up at the Fujiwara's doorstep asking about Natsume, because he hadn't turned up at school either. They would all search in the forest until the darkness stoped them. Tokou-san would check him room again and again only to see that everything was the same: his cloths were still neatly folded in his closet, his school bag and book lay organised around his desk. The photos he had put up, hidden on the inner wall of the closet, still remained and the few possession he had were still in his room. He couldn't have run away, they all reasoned, with just the clothes on his back.

A few days would pass, with everyone searching fruitlessly. The Fujiwara's faces would grow weary and the school-kids' grim faces wouldn't smile. It would be then that Natori-san would turn up, and with a sombre face would simply say that he hadn't seen Nyanko-sensei around either. Tanuma and Taki would gasp, shocked at the revelation; they had been so woried for their friend that they didn't even for a moment think of where Ponta was. Nishimura and Kitamoto would frown, defeated because Natsume brought his cat _everywhere_. The Fujiwara's faces would fall even more. Only Natori-san wouldn't worry - he knew that the yokai could be trusted to keep him safe, and though he wouldn't know the reason, he of all people would understand.

It hurt, just to think of it. He held Nyanko-sensei, who was now on his lap, tighter. The neko-form stayed still in his arms - Natsume knew that his sensei could sense his despair, and it was comforting to know that fact.

In his internal musings, he hadn't realised that Shigeru-san and Tokou-san were siting on front of him at the table, waiting for him to start eating. 'Takashi? What's wrong?' Shigeru-san was the first to ask. They were both looking at him with concern, which only made him feel worse. Every time that he thought that he would be able to do this, that he could be strong enough, something like this happened. If he didn't keep a tight control over his mind, it would soon wander to where he didn't want it to go and he would end up feeling worse than ever.

But the thing that scared him more was the fact that he already felt like he was drifting apart from everyone. Nothing had changed, but just because he knew what was to come... Was such the power of knowledge? It really was like was Madara had said: his perspective had already changed, and the change was irreversible. He tried stopping his face fall even more at the thoughts which wouldn't leave him alone, but his attempt at a smile was miserable, if anything.

'Do you not like the food today, Takashi-kun?' Touko-San asked worriedly.

'No, no, everything is delicious as always. I am just not very hungry.' Natsume was quick to assure, as usual, but today it seemed more forced and less truthful.

'I see. Well, either way, you should at least eat something, Takashi.' Shigeru-San said, with Touko-San nodding encouragingly in agreement.

'Okay, then. I'll eat.'

The rest of dinner passed normally if a little rigidly on Natsume's side. The Fujiwara's didn't notice, or pretended not to notice, his discomfort. Before he stood to excuse himself, Tokou-San exclaimed: 'My, my. This is unusual. It seems that Nyankichi wasn't hurry today either.'

Indeed, today, the cat-form had made no move from the boy's lap, forgoing the bowl of his much loved Tokou-san's home cooking that lay still untouched on the floor.

'That is unusual. I'll take it up with me - he'll get hungry later.' Shigeru-san and Touko-san nodded at him, and they couldn't help but watch their charge's face as he stood after carefully gathering his cat in his arms, the little smile on his face the most genuine one all night.


	8. Saying goodbye when you can't

A/N: Writing for myself really make me appreciate all the people who write on this website or otherwise so much more. It is so difficult so be able to have good ideas for stores, then to put those idea into words. I try my best!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

Saying goodbye was hard. Especially when he couldn't actually say goodbye. When he had to be subtle about his appreciation. When he felt so guilty, so selfish, about it all.

And what made him more guilty was the fact that somewhere, a small little part of him was excited to leave: to start a new way of life. That part of him that was looking forward to the people and yokai he would meet, the places he would see. For now, he quelled that part of himself away.

The last week was coming to an end. He had spent time with each of his friends, even those who lived in other towns. He had slept over at Tanuma's and they had hung out with Taki all day. He had humoured their yokai related requests, much to their pleasure. He had gone on a weekend camping trip with Nishimura and Kitamoto, and together they had biked around the countryside, played in shallow rivers, cloud-watched on grassy hills, and slept under the stars. They had had so much fun that the trio were reluctant to return. He had even volunteered to participate in class events, to the class rep's excitement, and had taken the bus to go meet Shibata, thankfully not getting him involved with serious yokai matters this time.

He had sat with Touko-san and Shigeru-san in the summer afternoons, talking over cool barley tea. He had thanked them, and told them how much he appreciated their kindness. It was embarrassing for both parties and the Fujiwara's were quick to stop him: family members didn't thank each other for things like that, they reasoned.

Lastly, he had gone to visit Natori-san, who, delighted to see his uninvited guest, had insisted that he stay the night. They had laid out two futons on Natori-san's insistence to make it seem "proper", despite the perfectly usable bed and couch in the apartment. However, they had ended up not sleeping that night, instead talking about everything from family to the weather, to yokai and themselves. Natsume wanted to tell him, he really did, but how could he? But just like that time with the yuujinchou, Natori-san had just said, much to his shock: 'It's okay, Natsume. You always tell me everything as it is. So, if it is something you have decided in your heart not to tell me, it's okay.'

He was truly blessed to know people who were such good friends to him.

It was after all that when Madara had asked him: 'You've taken care of all your humans, but what about the yokai?'

Natsume frowned, trying to find the meaning in his sensei's words. 'What do you mean? They are yokai, right? They'll...'

Madara sighed. 'You know, Natsume, I really can't tell if you are being so oblivious on purpose. How can you of all people not see? Seriously.'

Natsume waited for his sensei to explain.

'Look Natsume. You know how loyal the Dog's circle is to you. For the love of sake, you even have Hinoe and Misuzu wrapped around your little finger. Quite literally, in Hinoe's case.'

'It wasn't intentional.' Natsume muttered.

'But you agree, right. You could ask anything of them, even if it meant them going to the ends of the Earth, and they'd still do it, whatever it was and come back to celebrate with a sake party in your room.'

'I wouldn't ask anything like that of them!'

'Natsume, you are missing the point.'

'Sorry.'

'You agree that all those yokai are loyal to you.'

'Yes.'

'And you understand that the Eight fields is their home.'

'Yes.'

'So if you tell them, or if they find out that you are leaving-'

Natsume's eyes widened in horror. 'They'd follow me. They'd leave their home behind, just for me.' He finished.

'And I think that I know you well enough to know that you definitely won't let that happen.'

* * *

The next time the Dog's circle came into Natsume's room at night for a sake party, they were delighted when Natsume joined in, instead of curling up in the corner in his futon as always. They always had a great time at their gatherings, but it made them all the much happier on the occasion when Natsume joined in.

From that night, Natsume joined in with the parties everyday, even if he had to sneak out on occasion. He would talk and laugh with them. They taught him youkai games, and he taught them the few human games he knew in return, which they would play until they collapsed from happy exhaustion. As their eating and drinking continued throughout the night, at some point Natsume would fall asleep, much to everyone's initial panic, and Madara would take him home, muttering something about excessive effort. For only he knew that that all of this was Natsume's own way of saying goodbye when he couldn't.


	9. Departure

A/N: Hope you like it! (*u*) A very merry Christmas to all of you!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

This was it. Today was the day. Natsume had butterflies in his stomach ever since waking up. He could hardly eat, and with everything prepared and nothing to do, Natsume stood in the centre of his room.

Everything was the same as it always was. Nothing had changed even though everything had. By the door, next to his zipped bag-pack lay a small bag that the yuujinchou fit in perfectly. He had decided to keep it separately and would strap his to his waist or leg so that it would always be with him. It wasn't something that he could afford to lose. The lives of yokai were quite literally in his hand.

He was delaying minute by minute, as if something would magically happen if he just kept staring outside the window in his room. Madara for once had been quiet and considerate: a comforting presence which right now, in his neko-form, was curled at his feet. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them with determination. He looked down at his sensei and nodded.

* * *

'I'm leaving.' he called out to Touko-san and Shigeru-san. For the last time.

'Have fun!'

'Don't stay out in the sun too long.'

'I won't.'

He took his leave as naturally as he possibly could, concentrating on the road ahead and and warmth of his sensei on his shoulder.

* * *

They had walked for a few hours, at least, in silence, when Madara said: 'Let's rest for a while.'

Natsume simply nodded and sat down against a tree overlooking the small valley of hills below. They were deep into the country, so much so that there were few trees in fields of grassland. The town was far into the outskirts: it was a quaint little place where cars really didn't exist, and the bus arrived a couple of times each day. The nearest train station was a few miles walk away and had already been overtaken by nature. So, it didn't take a long walk to find yourself in the middle of nowhere. He held his sensei in his arms tightly.

Something, he needed something to occupy his mind, so that he wouldn't think of what he had just left. He was truly sad to leave. Running away from home was not new for him, but this time, peole would search for him in genuine concern, and this would be the only time that no one would be able to find him. It would have been ironic if not for the despair he felt.

He thought about the past two months, and everything that had passed. He remember when that had happened, and when Madara had given everything to save him, when he had turned into...

'Sensei?'

'Hm?'

'You know back then... when that happened?'

'What about it?'

'You transformed into a human form.'

'I did.'

'Who was it? I've never seen that form before. It was...'

Madara smirked. 'Do you want to see it?'

Natsume nodded. He was curious after all. He had been all this time, but with everything that had happened he had pushed it to the back of his mind. The form that had pressed his lips to his in a final desperate attempt to save him. He didn't feel embarrassed by it; it was his sensei who he trusted with everything he had.

Madara jumped out of his lap, the smirk still on his face.

And with a puff of cloudy white smoke, a human figure appeared in place of the cat.


	10. His human form

A/N: Enjoy everyone! And if you haven't already, search "human madara" in google images. There is a drawing titled "Madara = Nyanko sensei" with four illustrations... it's amazing!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

His garments were white. The cloth wrapped tightly around his arms, creating a long sleeve ending part-way up his hand. It accentuated his nimble wrist, and long fingers, but Natsume could tell that there was strength in those slender arms. The same went for his legs down to his ankles, after which feet like that of a dancer stood looked perfect in a traditional wooden geta. Above the tightly fitting cloth, he adorned a kimono-like robe, also white, and billowing in the breeze of his transformation, embelished with intricate borders woven with faint red thread.

His face was fair, and pure white unkempt hair curled gracefully down his back. His eyes resembled that of the beast: they were strict and wise, but gentle at the same time. A small pointed nose, and pale lips, and the same red markings as the beast on his forehead, lining his eyes and high on his cheekbones. Perfectly formed features harmonised with his lithe form, taller than Natsume by about a half a head.

He was as magnificient as his white beast form. There was an air of regality about him, as he looked down at Natsume with a smile on his face, a completely different aura, but still exactly the same.

Natsume stared unashamedly at the new form. This was his sensei. This was his _Nyanko_ -sensei. The one who played around, and loved manjuu, and went out drinking every night. The one who he argued with, the one who seemed undependable on the surface. Even when he transformed into Reiko or himself, he still looked so much like Nyanko-sensei, with that superior air and proud smirk...but this, this was so different. Was this really the Nyanko-sensei who had been by his side all this time?

'Stunned by my magnificence?' Madara smirked at the awed look on Natsume's face.

'Beautiful.' Natsume whispered.

'What!' Madara's cry was an indignant one; he couldn't believe that Natsume was calling him, a great magnificent ayakashi, beautiful, of all things.

'Beautiful. Sensei, you're really beautiful.' Natsume said once more. His tone betrayed no sign of teasing or mirth: it was genuinely earnest.

'You- oh never mind.' A small smile appeared on his face, and he shook his head in mock resignation. 'I should have expected something like that from you.'

Natsume reached his hand up, before pausing and asking: 'May I?'

Madara nodded his head curiously, and watched as Natsume examined his hair in his hands. He was exceedingly gentle as he held a wayward strand between his finger and thumb.

'It's just like your fur, sensei. ' Natsume's voice was low as he observed in wonder. 'Sensei, who is this?'

'What do you mean?'

'This form? Is is someone you knew?'

'Ohra, Natsume, this is nobody's form but my own self's!'

'Yo-your own self? You mean this is what you actually look like! You're not imitating someone like you do when you change into me or Reiko-san?'

Madara laughed gently at Natsume's shock.

'It is as much myself as the beast form is.'

Natsume took some moments for himself as he stared once more at his sensei. All this time, he had no idea. His sensei had a form like this? A form of a human? All this time, and he had never seen it.

'Sensei? Why did you never show me?'

'Think about it, Natsume. This form of mine is material - anyone can see it whether they can see yokai or not, just like the usual form I take. You should know by now that the reason I don't stay in my true beast from is because people would notice if you talked to thin air all the time. The cat form means that people will just assume you are talking to your cat, whether you are talking to me or some other yokai. You having a cat follow you around is nothing. But if a human started following you around, wouldn't that cause some problems? As nice as the Fujiwaras are, even they wouldn't allow a stranger as suspicious to stay at their house. After all, a person who turns up out of thin air, without a job or a home, or family, who follows a high school boy everywhere is nothing but suspicious.'

Natsume gaped at his sensei. He would have never imagined that he had put so much thought into these things, just so it would be easier for him.

'Sensei... You didn't have to do all this. I could have just said that you were my fr-'

'Baka Natsume, it not just because of you. It's much easier to intimidate yokai in my beast form so I don't take on this form very often. Two months ago and now, it's the first time that I have used this form in a very long time. I can't even remember the last time. None of the ayakashi would even recognise it. So don't you go thinking it's all for you.'

Natsume smiled. 'Hai. But sensei, I have another question.'

'What is it now?'

'Why is this form material? If it is your true form and you are a yokai, then why can all people see it?' Natsume asked, not quite devoid of suspicion.

'...Technically, it is a transformation like I do when I turn into you or Reiko.' He said, scratching the side of his face and uncharacteristically abashed.

'Huh? But you said that this is your true form?'

'Ma, that would be because a long, long, long time ago, I wasn't an ayakashi; I was a human.'


	11. New beginnings

A/N: So how do you all like my personal take on Madara's background? And my new cover for this story? I drew it myself! A very Happy New Year to all!

WE TOO, WILL BE STORIES IN THE END

'Ma, that would be because a long, long, long time ago, I wasn't an ayakashi; I was a human.'

Natsume paused to make sure he hear his sensei correctly. 'What!'

'I was a human. It was when I died that I received the beast form.'

Natsume took a delayed breath in shock. 'You were a human?'

'Yes - I was a human a very long time ago.'

'When is a very long time ago?'

Madara smirked. 'When even villages didn't exist.'

Natsume gaped at the human form of his sensei. Never could he have thought of anything like that. That his sensei was once a human. That he had lived before agriculture hadn't even been invented, thousands of years ago. 'And?'

Madara laughed at Natsume's expectant words. 'I was part of a tribe. We were a small group of hunter-gatherers, nomads, who travelled wherever nature took us. It was nature that unexpectedly took me. I thought that I had died, and I had, but my essence which for all intents and purposed was myself, remained on Earth as a spirit.'

'Does that happen often? I mean, humans turning into yokai when they die?'

'Not at all. I have only heard of a couple of other ayakashi who were human when they were born. I'd imagine it happens even less now, with how disconnected the humans are to the spirit world.'

'So before, more humans could see? There were more people like me?'

'Oh yes. Back then, humans were more in touch with nature, and everyone was able to see yokai and accept them as a part of the world.'

Natsume smiled at that. 'It must have been a good time.'

'Yes. That it was.'

'What happened, when you became a yokai?'

'Like I said, yokai were a well known part of the world. So even when I died, I lived with my people. It was like normal life, like nothing had changed. I was young, and naïve. I was foolish enough to think that I was the same as them.'

Madara's words tumbled out without pause as he recounted.

'I played with my friends, and then their children and grandchildren, and before I knew it generations upon generations had passed, each one taking people that I cherished away from me. It hurt, unbelievably so, but I managed somehow because I could see everyone live on in their descendants. Soon, I became the totem of the tribe. I played with every generation, so everyone regardless of age trusted me. I knew the whole history of the tribe so the youngest would gather around the fire at night and I'd tell them all the stories that they could wish for. The parents knew that I'd take good care of their children. I'd had the experience of many years, so the elders would ask me for guidance and advice.'

His eyes, that has been smiling before, now dulled.

'I watched as all the people I knew in the world grew older and died before my eyes.'

'Sensei...'

Natsume watched as shook his head, his eyes crinkled at the corners in his bittersweet memories. He stood up, extending a hand down.

'Shall we carry on?' The gesture was genial, and so different to before. Natsume took the hand, allowing himself to be pulled up and marvelling at the little interaction which had not been possible before. They had rested for longer than planned, and it was about time they carried on. But this time, the dynamics were so different. It wasn't Nyanko-sensei being carried by Natsume, or Natsume riding on the white beast's back: they were standing next to each other; side by side.

''From now, it going to be you and me, and the never ending road. Are you ready?'

Natsume looked back one more in the direction of the village and the people that he had just left. Determination filled him. He nodded.

'Yes.'

They started walking.

Natsume, 'Will you tell me sensei? About when you were human, and after that?'

'Oh? What do you want to know about?'

'Everything. Your life: the people and yokai you've met, the places you've traveled, the things you've seen. Surely in all this time, you have many tales to tell?'

Madara laughed. 'One or two. But I'm warning you, it's a very long story.'

Natsume tuned his gaze to the landscape in front of them. 'Oh, but we have a long way in front of us.'

A smile played on both their lips.

'Okay, then, let's get going. You know what, I think it's perfect weather for flying.'

'Mn. I couldn't agree more.'

~part 1, complete~


End file.
